For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. – 1 Timothy 4:8

As we enter into the time of year where everyone is making resolutions to get healthier and lose weight among other things, I would like to address a few things. If you are one of those making such resolutions, this should really apply to you. This season I want you to remember a few things.

• First, the outside is a reflection of what’s going on on the inside. Excess weight can be caused by simple overeating or non-exercise, but it could be indicative of bigger issues like disease or toxicity. Know what you are dealing with before you start any program.

• Don’t get blinded by unreasonable body images. Not everyone is meant to be a size two. Figure out what your healthy state is and strive to get there. Get to your own, not someone else’s.

• Beware of quick fixes. There is no magic pill. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Most quick weight loss products only reduce water content in your body. The water will eventually return unless something changes, so you have not made a lasting difference. A lot of water weight is usually a sign of body toxicity.

• Anything that does not require some sort of behavior or food modification (i.e. exercise, food changes, etc.) probably will not work.

• What works for someone else may not work for you. Every body is different and what works for someone else may not be the best thing for you. Learn your own body and what works for you and don’t be looking to see what everyone else has done. It’s okay to research and look around at what others are doing, but don’t expect the same results from the same program. Only a tailored program geared for your body will give you the best results.

• Don’t cut your calories too low just to lose a lot of weight quickly. Your body needs a certain amount of calories to function daily. Reduce your calories too much and your body will start to shut down.

• Body cleanses are big these days. There is a lot of truth to the benefits of it. I myself am a big proponent of cleanse and detox. However, there are many, many programs out there that do not work or are not safe. Know what you are doing before you do it. You can’t just take a bunch of pills or drink some weird liquid and expect everything to turn out right. A good natural based detox will include some sort of diet program, exercise element and nutritional elements to support your body systems as you do it. A good detox program can also allow you to eliminate a lot of intestinal bulk contributing to significant weight loss-naturally. Also, when you pick a program, check what’s in it. Anything sweetened with high fructose corn syrup or containing a lot of chemical additives is probably not something you should use. If you want a really good effective detox program check mine out. It really works. I stand by it. I’ve done it myself and continue to periodically do it as needed.

• Know your body. It is possible to lose weight without even trying just by knowing your body and knowing what works and doesn’t work. You can accomplish effective weight loss without counting calories or drastic lifestyle changes just by knowing what you can and can’t tolerate. Some foods, environment and lifestyle choices are toxic to certain people. Eliminate the toxic elements of your life and you will not only see great improvement in your outside appearance, but also how you feel on the inside. I should know. I’m living proof.

Want to discover more about your body and learn your trigger points, toxic elements and lifestyle helps? Contact me for a health analysis and I’d be happy to help. Free of charge. Check out my own before and after photos. I’ve lived it. I can help show you the way. After being on medications for various conditions, battling fatigue, migraines, adrenal issues, insulin and sleep problems, I determined that there had to be a better way. So, I back tracked on my education and took extra courses in Natural Nutrition to become a nutritionist while continuing to work on my Health Practitioner degree. Now in my 40’s I am healthier and more in tune with my body than I was in my 20’s. I am on no medications, at a healthy body weight for my frame, can exercise without problems and sleep better at night. My various conditions have pretty much disappeared – all because of nutrition and lifestyle changes and learning what works for me.

My goal is to touch as many lives as possible by helping them become healthier and live a better life. If you make the choice this new year to make an effort to become healthier, don’t just half do it. Do it right from the start.

I am still on the “starve the yeast” program and making great strides. I hope it will be cleared up soon so I can get back to some normal eating. I do miss my mushrooms, quinoa and brown rice. The sugar part of it is not big deal, but I do miss certain carbs.

On way I can tell that I am getting better is that we have had a lot of humidity in our area lately including some rain ad snow. Usually, I get these tremendous migraine headaches when it’s going to rain. I have not had one. I also have not been reacting to winter rye grass as much this year either, which is one of my major allergies. In addition, I have taken off few more pounds…without even trying. I did meet my target BMI a while back, so this is great. Now I am on my way to a lean BMI!

I’ll keep you posted.

First let me start by saying to those of you that were following my detox progress. I did take off some additional weight after ending detox. I’m within 2 pounds of my target BMI. However there has been a new development. Which now marks my next journey. And after attending an in-depth seminar given by a wonderful master herbalist, a new passion has sparked within me as well. I aim to spread the word and help as many possible as I can.

So here’s the deal. I’ve been diagnosed with Candidiasis. Candidiasis is also known as Yeast Overgrowth or Candida Overgrowth. Not only me but my two daughters has it as well. Candida overgrowth can be present even outside of a “yeast infection.” If left too long it can affect every major system in your body and manifest it self in many, many ways. Things that may seem unrelated can be a symptom of candida. As candida grows, it release toxins all over your body and every system can be compromised and your immunity shot. Plus, it doesn’t take much to get out of balance. Our bodies need a million good bacteria to keep one candida cell in check. And when your immune system is compromised and the good bacteria killed off, the candida grows very rapidly, taking over.

For years, although I thought myself to be fairly healthy and tried to eat the right things and do the right things, I always knew something just wasn’t quite right. For a while I thought I was pre-diabetic. I would get very tired and sleepy after eating. I still get really tired during the day and sometimes have to take naps. I’ve always experienced some sort of fatigue constantly, indicative of an adrenal problem. Adrenal supplements do help, but that may not be the underlying problem after all. I had three major bouts of depression in the last seven years which required medication and a couple of years ago I was diagnosed with PMDD. Now I have come to learn that all these seemingly unrelated things can be traced back to one culprit-candida.

I am now about to embark on a “Kill the Candida” program. The eating restrictions will be even more intense than the detox, but in the end totally worth it. Among other things I will not be able to eat any sugar (which I don’t do much of anyway) or anything that turns to sugar like starches and some grains. I will also not be able to eat any fermented products like miso, tempeh and soy sauce. Since my diet is mostly vegetarian these days, this will be hard. In addition, I can have no mushrooms or anything created with a fungus or mold like cheese. I will have to take major amounts of probiotics and enzymes to digest the candida after it’s killed. It will be hard, but I am willing to do it.

I also learned that candida can be a major factor in allergies. (A very long story to explain here, but if you are interested in more information please contact me and let me know, I’ll happily share.) So I’m excited to see what good it will do for my girls who have severe allergies after getting the candida cleared up.

Did you know that kids can be born with candida already if the mother has it? And if it goes unchecked, can cause major problems including allergies, rashes and digestion problems.

Did you also know that the antibiotics in food can kill off your good bacteria, giving candida a chance to grow? Another reason to eat organic, antibiotic-free meat and dairy. Everything that the animals are given end up in your system too when you eat it.

Many people have candida and don’t even know it. It can show up most obviously as a yeast infection in women or jock itch in men, but also as athlete’s foot, rash, dry skin, eczema, fatigue, bloating, gassiness, spots in your eyes, brain fog, inability to lose weight and other things. Things you would not even think of being related. If can even show up as a mold or yeast allergy or allergy to mushrooms. Because it can affect any and every system you never know how it may show up.

I’m going to post a checklist shortly for you to look at. If you think you may have candida, there is a simple test that you can do at home that does not require any test equipment or kit to perform. If you discover that you do have a candida overgrowth, I urge you to get it under control. Your health may depend on it. Some of the testimonies I heard are amazing. I hope to have my own amazing story in a few weeks. If you need info on clearing out candida effectively, drop me a note. I’d be oh so happy to share. Otherwise, please feel free to track me and my family on our journey to health and wellness.

As mentioned, I decided to go another few days before adding food back into my diet. I think I’ll start with my favorite whole grains, oatmeal and quinoa. I actually could have had those during detox, but since my supplements had it in there, I chose not to have extra. I will be putting off any other allergen food for a little while though. I’d actually planned to have eggs first since it is my preferred protein of choice, but after reading a PETA story about male chicks, I’m having a hard time reconciling that. I purchased some organic extra firm tofu today so I might decide to have a great stir fry soon. Our family is celebrating a special occasion this weekend, so I have to be careful about what I select to add back in because I won’t be able to have anything else new for a few days. I have opted to stay off wheat products for as long as I can. I’ve found that my body does not do well with wheat and considering two out of my three kids have wheat allergies, it’s probably best anyway. No sense in cooking it for only part of the family. I really like pita bead though, so I may have to find an alternative. I already make oat bread for my girls. Maybe I can figure out a recipe for oat pitas. I think I will work on that.

I’m creating a new exercise routine for myself and hopefully I can kick my body into gear and get exactly where I want to be. What are you doing for yourself to get healthier?

By the way, I now have a link set up for supplements and homeopathic remedies I like. You should check it out. (www.mynsp.com/livingnaturally) Don’t let the  “business opportuntity” look fool you. The products are excellent and affordable. I highly recommend them. Many other NC’s and health professinals do too. I would not recommend anything that I wouldn’t use myself. You won’t be disappointed.

I feel so much better for having done this. My body is thanking me. I haven’t been suffering as much from allergies. My body is more energized and I haven’t been stress eating, which is a big plus. Yes, I’m a nutritional consultant studying to be a natural health practitioner, but like everyone else, I am human too. I guess that’s what makes me suited for this. I’ve lived it. I go through the same things the average person struggling to get healthy goes through.

Anyway, although I didn’t make my super goal, I am extremely proud of going through detox again. So what are my final numbers? Here they are:

Weight: don’t know I didn’t weigh myself in the beginning. At least 10 pounds.
Waist: 3.5 inches
Belly: 2.0 inches
Hip: 1.5 inches
Thigh: 1.0 inch

Seriously, in three weeks! I am so proud. Of course during my first intensive detox I lost almost 30 pounds, but I had a lot to lose then. I’ll post pictures soon if you want to see.

I’m going to keep working and maybe in another month or so I will have those final 10 off. I purchased the Jillian Michaels Shred video. I might try that along with kickboxing.

Remember though, if you decide to do your own detox and exercise program: muscle weighs more than fat. Muscle also helps you burn fat. So don’t get overly concerned about the scale number when you get closer to your goal.

How fitting that I would finish my detox on the day the Biggest Loser new season started. I’m inspired to, as we say in Texas, “Gitter Done” lol.

So what will be my next thing for you to follow? I don’t know yet. Maybe you’ll just have to come back and see.

Have a blessed day readers.

Do you want my detox program? Contact me for details.

Anyway, all is well. I have just two more days to go on “official” detox. I’ve decided to add a few more days and go to the end of the week to make up for my little setback last week. I know I won’t make my “stubborn 10″ goal that was set midway through detox, but I am wearing one of my favorite pair of jeans today, comfortably. I lost my summer weight, which was my original goal and I feel great. I feel so much better for having done this.

Stay tuned for final numbers…

Well it took me a few days to recover from my set back on Monday, but looks like everything is back on track. I hate scales but I got back on just to see. I’ve taken off 2.5 more pounds in three days. Another .25 inch in waist and a phenomenal .75 in hips. Bringing my total so far to at least 2.75 in waist, 1.0 pure belly fat (pooch area) and 1.0 hip in a little over two weeks. I say at least because I didn’t measure on day one. I have 5 more days to go and feeling great.

Today is Friday and usually family treat night. I’m not sue what I’m going to make for dinner. I’ll think of something.I found my favorite vegetarian cookbook. So I may do something from there.

Off to kickboxing now. What are you doing today?

By the way, a word of caution: beware of all the inch loss, weight loss, detox products out there. I’ve been periodically detoxing for a while now. Ever since “detox” showed up on a popular daytime talk show, it’s been all the rage and everyone has a product for it now. But it’s all about money and not about health. Everyone is trying to make a dime on some new detox product. It’s the current buzz word. Some of them don’t even work or worse, does more damage to your health because it is not done properly or your body’s fragile systems are not supported during detox. The best way to do it is the natural way through whole food nutrition and supplementation, not just some bottled junk you drink for a few days. Sure it may clean you out for a few days, but you will not have accomplished much. You should also do it with set, sure, nutritional guidelines and not just based on some salesperson’s or product pitch. In particular watch out for any that says you don’t have to change your eating habits or not even exercise. That’s just not so. If you keep eating cheeseburgers while you’re detoxing you’re not actually detoxing. Additionally, beware of how food can affect you during and AFTER detox. Use common sense when looking at a program. Do it right. Your health is too important to leave it up to some kit sold by someone that has no nutritional knowledge and doesn’t even know how it works. That’s all I have to say about that.

If you want to look at the program I’m using and see my before and after, please feel free to conact me. I know mine works. I’ve done it. And you really feel the change when you’re done.